Brighton & Hove City Council
Council
4.30pm1 February 2024
Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall
MINUTES
Present: Councillors , Atkinson, Davis, Evans, Fishleigh, Grimshaw, Meadows, McNair, Robins, Sankey, Shanks, C Theobald, West, Williams, Alexander, Allen, Asaduzzaman, Baghoth, Burden, Cattell, Czolak, Earthey, Gajjar, Galvin, Guilmant, Goddard, Goldsmith, Helliwell, Hewitt, Hill, Hogan, Loughran, Lyons, McGregor, McLeay, Miller, Mistry, Muten, Nann, Pickett, Pumm, Robinson, Rowkins, Sheard, Simon, Stevens, Taylor, Thomson and Winder
PART ONE
77 TO RECEIVE PETITIONS AND E-PETITIONS
77.1 The Mayor stated that she had been notified of a petition to be presented and invited the submission of petitions from a member of the public. She reminded the Council that petitions would be referred to the appropriate decision-making body without debate and the person presenting the petition would be invited to attend the meeting to which the petition was referred.
77.2 Catherine Lane presented a petition signed by 32 residents concerning the cost of resident’s parking permits.
77.3 The mayor thanked the lead petitioner and stated that the petition would be referred to the Transport and Sustainability Committee consideration.
79 Deputations from members of the public.
79.1 The Mayor reported that deputations had been received from members of the public and invited Dr Davis as the spokesperson for the deputation concerning Air Quality to come forward and address the council.
79.2 Dr Davis thanked the Mayor and presented the deputation.
79.3 Councillor Muten replied, thank you for bringing your deputation to Council today. For the record: we are fully committed to act; to improve air quality across the city. We are highly focused on addressing the impacts on residents’ health, especially those with respiratory health conditions; and are fully committed to taking clear targeted action to improve air quality in the six air quality management areas (or AQMAs). May I concur that in recent years, there has been insufficient progress in effectively tackling and improving air quality. Unlike what you may have experienced from previous administrations, Labour are committed to robust action to deliver substantial air quality improvements.
We are fully committed to our citywide Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP). Our commitment is to a scientific data-led approach to policy implementation; and to set our aim above and beyond central government’s minimum compliance requirements. Where the data shows deteriorating air quality requiring action, we will of course act. We have a clear duty to do so and the political will to make much needed change now happen. We presently have six AQMAs across our city. It is my strong view that one size does not fit all – we need the best and most targeted interventions for each AQMA. Improving air quality in AQMA3 South Portslade is by working with businesses taking heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and vans along the Shoreham Port designated access route. Inin AQMA4 in Sackville Road / Old Shoreham Road and AQMA2 in Rottingdean High Street, junction design and traffic flow may deliver the improvements needed. From 2015 to 2020 showed substantial improvement in air quality in along our existing Ultra Low Emission Zone (or ULEZ) between Palmeira Square and Castle Square However, since some deterioration in air quality over the course of the past 3 to 4 years. It is our view that there was insufficient action taken as we came out of the pandemic lockdowns and the unique opportunity was not taken to really gain the improvements in air quality our city needed. The inaction of the Green administration is not an excuse; know we have to reverse the worsening trend. We are installing air quality monitors across our city and connecting many of these to real time on-line public access. We recognise that improving our city’s air quality requires us to work in partnership with others across the city. Earlier this week, Cllr Rowkins and myself met with leading air quality experts at the University of Brighton. Quarterly Nitrogen Dioxide levels have dropped since April 2023. Nonetheless, they persist above World Health Organisation [WHO] standards – the higher than minimum statutory target which have adopted as our target - and therefore there is much to do. This is why as a Labour administration; we have already taken bold action – with much more to come – to really tackle air pollution and bring about the air quality improvements that residents rightly call for.
79.4 The Mayor thanked Dr Davis for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to Transport and Sustainability Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.
79.5 The Mayor then invited Sue Spink as the spokesperson for the deputation concerning introducing parking restrictions in Nevill Road and Nevill Avenue, Hove to come forward and address the council.
79.6 Sue Spink thanked the Mayor and presented the deputation.
79.7 Councillor Muten replied, may I firstly thank you for your deputation today. I wish to state clearly that I will be taking this very seriously. Thank you for raising these pressing matters. I have had several residents in the south Nevill and Orchards area also contact me directly asking for parking enforcement in response to increasingly pressure for on street parking in this area of Hove. Regrettably as this area is not within a permitted parking zone. As a result, beyond double yellow lines, there are presently limited enforcement options. Further, with new high-rise developments in former Sackville Road Trading estate, Newtown Road, Hove Gardens in Conway Street and the proposed Portslade Panelworks site on Orchard Gardens, more and more residents are expected to live within this area. Quite limited parking provision is provided by these new developments, with some on-street provision in the Artists Quarter. However, as you rightly note, combined with commuters parking to access Hove and Aldrington train stations and some using as a park and ride and workplace parking, and with residents moving in to Moda from March this year, there is clearly a case for evaluating the design of a permitted parking zone as a matter of priority. Ward Cllr Lyon’s initiative to undertake an unofficial survey of residents in this part is helpful – good work as a ward councillor. However, your delegation is the first report received by the council of this local survey. I have spoken to some residents in this area who were under the misapprehension that the council had undertaken consultation as part of formal process. May I ask Cllr Lyons to share his survey results with the council? Noting 62.3% of the 123 respondees are in favour of the Council introducing parking restrictions; I welcome your deputation calling for parking restrictions and parking enforcement. I will press for a proper public consultation as part of a Traffic Regulations Order (or TRO) aligned with the strategic citywide outcomes from our parking reviewfor residents of Nevill Road, Nevill Avenue, Orchards and nearby streets to have a well-designed new parking zone; to enable residents to park in their streets and enforcement to take action. As for drivers speeding, nearly doubling the 20MPH speed limit, this is absolutely unacceptable, irresponsible and a danger to pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles including those pulling out of driveways and parked along this busy residential road. I will support action to effectively address this. Pavement parking is a citywide challenge. Regrettably, enforcement is limited to pavements where a double yellow line is in place. There is a need for a law change in England outside London – as in Edinburgh and in London. We call for this Tory government to stop provocation on pavement parking and to urgently implement one of the three recommendations from the Department of Transport’s extensive consultation in 2019. Despite the Secretary of State's commitment to implement the preferred option, this has yet to happen some four years later. The TRO process on a street-by-street basis is costly and impractical for widespread pavement parking ban and this is not the answer to this problem. English Local Authorities outside London - such as Brighton and Hove City Council - need central government enable a ban of pavement parking to bring about the change called for today.
79.8 The Mayor thanked Sue Spink for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to Transport and Sustainability Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.
91 Close of Meeting
The meeting concluded at 9.10PM
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Signed
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Chair |
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Dated this |
day of
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2024 |